SCHEDULE
We know you have a lot of choices at ComNet this year. Between Breakout Sessions, Dialogues, and In Conversations — how can you pick where to go? We’re here to help with that. Try following one of our conference Tracks.
Tuesday, October 1
Day of Service 8:45am-3:30pm
Caritas of Austin 8:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Location: Meet at the JW Hotel lobby at 8:20 a.m.
Central Texas Food Bank 8:30 a.m. - Noon
Location: Meet at the JW Hotel lobby at 7:50 a.m.
Community First! Village 9 a.m. - Noon
Location: Meet at the JW Hotel lobby at 8:10 a.m.
Out Youth 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Location: Meet at the JW Hotel lobby at 8:25 a.m.
Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Location: Meet at the JW Hotel lobby at 12:50 p.m.
Wednesday, October 2
Registration 10:00am-6:00pm
Location: Griffin Hall, 2nd floor
Pre-Conference Workshops 1:00pm-5:30pm
Early Sessions 1:00pm-3:00pm
Lessons from the Newsroom: How to Shift to an Audience-First Operation
Location: Room 201, 2nd floor
We are More Than What We See. Understanding and Re-envisioning Visual Narrative
Location: Room 202, 2nd floor
Location: Room 203, 2nd floor
Imitation and Inspiration for Community Foundation Communicators *special 4hr workshop*
Location: Room 205, 2nd floor
Budgeting For Poets, or How to Own Your Comms Budget and Not Be Owned By It
Location: Room 204, 2nd floor
Late Sessions 3:30pm-5:30pm
Location: Room 201, 2nd floor
Location: Room 202, 2nd floor
Evaluating Conferences Without a Dreaded Post-Survey
Location: Room 203, 2nd floor
Creating a Brand that Speaks Your Message
Location: Room 204, 2nd floor
Field Trips 12:00pm-3:30pm
The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School 12:30-3:30 p.m.
Location: Meet at the JW Hotel lobby at 12:00 p.m.
Whole Kids Foundation 1-3:30 p.m.
Location: Meet at the JW Hotel lobby at 12:35 p.m.
The Texas Tribune 1-3 p.m.
Location: Meet at the JW Hotel lobby at 12:30 p.m.
The South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference & Festivals 1-3 p.m.
Location: Meet at the JW Hotel lobby at 12:35 p.m.
Austin Film Society (AFS) 1-3 p.m.
Location: Meet at the JW Hotel lobby at 12:20 p.m.
LBJ Presidential Library 1-3 p.m.
Location: Meet at the JW Hotel lobby at 12:30 p.m.
KLRU 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Location: Meet at the JW Hotel lobby at 12:50 p.m.
Welcome Reception 6:00pm-8:00pm
Location: The Moody Theater 310 W Willie Nelson Blvd (walking distance from the JW Marriott)
*Please pickup your badge at registration on the 4th floor of the JW Marriott before heading to The Moody Theater. If you are not able to, we will be able to check you in by name at the entrance of the Welcome Reception.*
Thursday, October 3
Registration 8:00am-6:00pm
Location: JW Ballroom Foyer, 4th floor
Breakfast + Community Group Chat 7:30am-8:30am
Location: Griffin Hall, 2nd floor
Keynote Speaker 8:45am-10:00am
Janet Mock in conversation with Jonathan Capehart
Location: Grand Ballroom, 4th floor
Professional Headshots 10:00am-2:00pm
Location: Room 406
*No signup needed*
Networking Break 10:00am-10:45am
Location: Grand Ballroom Foyer, 4th floor
Breakout Sessions 11:00am-12:00pm
Decolonizing Narratives: Authentic Messaging, Ceding Control and Reckoning with Reality
Location: Ballroom 3, 4th floor
Talking Climate Change: How Communications Can Prompt Action, Counter Opposition
Location: Room 203, 2nd floor
Can Empathy Save the Day? How Fostering Familiarity Can Drive Policy and Wins
Location: Room 202, 2nd floor
Everything for Everyone: Abundance Messaging for Big Wins
Location: Room 201, 2nd floor
Take a Masterclass from NPR’s Story Lab
Location: Ballroom 1, 4th floor
How Visualizing 70,000 Bits of Data Can Make your Organization a Media Star
Location: Room 204, 2nd floor
Location: Ballroom 2, 4th floor
In Focus: Using Visuals to Inform, Advocate and Persuade
Location: Breakout Room 4, 4th floor
Dialogues 11:00am-12:00pm
What Have you Wanted to Learn About Trans Inclusion But Have Been Afraid to Ask?
Location: Room 403, 4th floor
What Does it Take to Be Great at Work?
Location: Room 402, 4th floor
How Can We Decolonize Nonprofit Communications?
Location: Room 205, 2nd floor
Beyond the Punch Line: Can Comedy Drive Social Change?
Location: Brazos
The Power of Convening: How to Drive Impact and Build Community?
Location: Brazos
How Can We Communicate About Income Inequality Without the Same Old Tropes?
Location: Brazos, 2nd floor
In Conversation 11:00am-12:00pm
The Story of The Texas Tribune Evan Smith interviewed by Erica Pelletreau
Location: Grand Ballroom, 4th floor
Lunch 12:30pm-1:30pm
Location: Griffin Hall, 2nd floor
Breakout Sessions 2:00pm-3:00pm
Why Do They Know It's Christmas Time was the Wrong Question
Location: Room 205, 2nd floor
Location: Room 201, 2nd floor
Location: Ballroom 2, 4th floor
Think Like a Policymaker - How Public Servants Learn and Communicate
Location: Ballroom 3, 4th floor
Beyond Understanding: Listening for Emergence
Location: Room 204, 2nd floor
Gender, Power, and Cultivating YOUR Magic
Location: Room 203, 2nd floor
Journalism: Driving Measurable Impact for Social Change
Location: Ballroom 4, 4th floor
Take a Masterclass from NPR’s Story Lab
Location: Ballroom 1, 4th floor
Dialogues 2:00pm-3:00pm
How Are You Wielding Your Communications Tools to Fight Oppression?
Location: Room 402, 4th floor
Why is Rebranding in the Age of Modern Philanthropy Essential?
Location: Room 202, 2nd floor
How Do You Balance Rapid Growth and Scale While Still Being Dedicated to Giving Back?
Location: Brazos, 2nd floor
How Can We Better Use Data Mapping to Improve Community Health?
Location: Room 403, 4th floor
In Conversation 2:00pm-3:00pm
The Story of SXSW Hugh Forrest interviewed by Melanie Newman
Location: Grand Ballroom, 4th floor
Networking Break 3:00pm-3:45pm
Location: Grand Ballroom Foyer, 4th floor
Keynote Speaker 4:00pm-5:15pm
Desmond Meade, The Clarence B. Jones Award Winner
Location: Grand Ballroom, 4th floor
Friday, October 4
Registration 7:00am-1:00pm
Location: JW Ballroom Foyer, 4th floor
Breakfast 7:00am-8:30am
Location: Griffin Hall, 2nd floor
Local Keynote Panel 7:30am-8:30am
Immigration Panel: A Border State Perspective
Location: Grand Ballroom, 4th floor
Moderator: John Burnett, Southwest Correspondent, NPR
Panelists: Bob Moore, El Paso Editor, Zenén Jaimes Perez, Texas Civil Rights Project, and Sheriff Sally Hernandez, Travis County Sheriff’s Office
Keynote Speaker 8:45am-10:00am
Location: Grand Ballroom, 4th floor
Breakout Sessions 10:30am-11:30am
Seeing and Connecting with Rural America
Location: Room 202, 2nd floor
Complicating the Narrative: Embracing ‘Identity Politics’ in Order to Win Social Change
Location: Ballroom 4, 4th floor
Location: Ballroom 3, 4th floor
Radical Imagination: Boldly Going Where We Have Not Gone Before
Location: Room 203, 2nd floor
Bye Bye Jargon! What we Can All Learn from Social, Emotional Learning
Location: Ballroom 2, 4th floor
Socially Responsible Video Storytelling
Location: Ballroom 1, 4th floor
Hiring, Retaining, and Inspiring Diverse Communications Teams
Location: Room 201, 2nd floor
Dialogues 10:30am-11:30am
How Can We Rewire a Better Conversation About Immigrants in America?
Location: Brazos, 2nd floor
How Can Leveling Up Your Transparency Practices Help Your Organization Live Up to its Purpose?
Location: Room 403, 4th floor
Are Foundations & Online Giving Days Surprising BFF’s?
Location: Brazos, 2nd floor
New Communications Technologies and Platforms: How Can They Be Leveraged for Good?
Location: Room 204, 2nd floor
Is it Possible for Our Identities to Be Superpowers?
Location: Room 207, 2nd floor
What is Our Ethical Responsibility as Communications Professionals?
Location: Room 205, 2nd floor
Location: Room 402, 4th floor
How Might We Use Art and Culture to Make a Mental Switch from Minority to Majority?
Location: Room 209, 2nd floor
How a Community Changed a City: the Story of Austin's Equity Office
Location: Room 210, 2nd floor
In Conversation 10:30am-11:30am
The Story of Austin City Limits Bill Stotesbery and Tom Gimbel interviewed by Tyronne Walker
Location: Grand Ballroom, 4th floor
Keynote Speaker 12:00pm-1:00pm
Location: Grand Ballroom, 4th floor
* Adjourn *
Please note the schedule is subject to change.
